Want to discover the new Röyksopp or Turbonegro? by:Larm is the venue for you. The premier marketplace and meeting point for the Norwegian scene, by:Larm is what you need to strike new friendships, see some stunning bands and learn a thing or two about the Norwegian music industry. by:Larm 2006 runs from February 9 to 11 and is staged in the picturesque and intimate Arctic city of Tromsø.

TromsøNow in its eight running year, by:Larm is today firmly established as the Norwegian music industry's no. 1 forum. 61 bands are set to perform at 10 stages located in the centre of cosy and intimate Arctic town of Tromsø. More than 1000 delegates representing the record industry, managers, agents, booking firms and media get together for some hectic networking, A&R, seminars and debates.

Tromsø, the cultural capital of Northern Norway is renowned for its vibrant music scene and well visited clubs. Despite its northern latitude and small size, Tromsø has produced such acts as Röyksopp and Lene Marlin and is home to some of Norway’s best live venues.

Bands such as Briskeby, Big Bang, Kaizers Orchestra and Madrugada made some of their first public appearances at by:Larm. Since then, all have gone on to achieve major status in Norway and along with other former by:Larm acts they have also continued their careers abroad. Trondheim sports several brilliant clubs with loyal crowds and state-of-the-art sound systems. The whole event is professionally organised and has throughout its duration run smoothly. The night-time showcases are complemented by day-time seminars and debates aimed at educating the attendees and creating some new ideas.

In an effort to showcase the musical identities of Norway's various regions by:Larm rotates from city to city. Previous years by:Larm have been located to Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger and Kristiansand. In 2006 by:Larm returns to Tromsø. The event's status has grown substantially since the first event, and by:Larm now holds an unrivalled position as the music industry's most important forum. Up and coming acts from all over the country submit demos to a committee made up of industry representatives.

Given the present focus on the Norwegian scene coupled with the vibrant and creative energy present on the stages and in the studios around the country, by:Larm is the perfect starting point for anybody ready to venture onto the Norwegian music scene.

Says Emmanuel Legrand, of the Billboard Magazine UK on the event: “by:Larm combines a good organisation, interesting panels, and a fine line-up of artists giving a good picture of the Norwegian music scene, all of this in a very friendly and warm atmosphere, which is quite an achievement when it is 20 degrees below zero outside...”

A string of slightly more established acts have also been confirmed to play the Tromsø event: Adjagas, Adrien, Allfader, Animal Alpha, Bjørn Berge, Darkside of The Force, Draumir, Dread Men Walking, Elvira, Enslaved, Frost, Hurra Torpedo, Insense, The Jessica Fletchers, Kompani69, The Low Frequency in Stereo, Lumsk, Million Dollar Baby, Mira Craig, My Midnight Creeps, No Torso, Rossin i Pølsa Crew, Sahg, Serena Maneesh, Ska Patrol, Surferosa, Terroristene, Tiern og Lars, Thom Hell and The White Birch are all set to perform at Tromsø’s clubs this week.

For full details on bands, venues and show times, consult the live-section of the by:Larm site.

For 2006, the number of showcasing bands has been reduced from more than 90 to 61. The number of well established acts has been reduced in order to generate increased publicity for unsigned and un-established bands which, after all, is the event’s founding principle.

The seminar program has also been unveiled recently. Check it out here.